The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1887-11-16
LfncoIn,s Nomination.. An
n0unfenlcIlt Of the ballots In
!!ss Chicago Convention Of

LincoInl7s Nomination. Ansi
nOu1,femcnl Of the BallOls In
llle Chicago Convention Of
1850.
Though it was not expected to be
decisive, the very first ballot fore
shadowed accurately the final result.
The ..complimentaty candidates
received the tribute of admiration
from their respective States, Yer
mont voted for Collamer, and New
Jersey for Dayton, each solid
Pennsylvania compliment to Cam
eron was short of six votes, four of
which went at once for Lincoln.
Ohio divided her compliment, 81
for Chase, for Mclean, and at
once gave Lincoln her 8 remaining
votes. Missouri voted solid for her
candidate, Bates, who also received
a scattering tribute from other del
legations But all these compliments
lTere o. issile avail to their recip-
tents, for far above each lowered
the aggregates of the leading can
didates: Seward, 173aa;; Lincoln, 1O2
In the ground-swell of suppressed
excitement which pervaded the con
vention there was no time to an
alyze this vote; nevertheless, dele
gates and spectators felt the full
4
force of it's prcmonition; to all who
desired the defeat of Seward it
pointed out the winning man with
unerring certainty. Another little
wrangle over some disputed and
protesting delegate made the au-
dience almost furious at the delay,
and "Call the ROLL" sounded from
thousand throats.
A second ballot was begun at last,
and, obeying force as sure as the
law of gravitation, the former com
plimentary votes came rushing to
Lincoln. The whole 10 votes of
Collamer, II from Cameron, 6 from
Chase and Mclean, were now cast
for him, followed by a scatter of
additions along the whole roll-call.
In this ballot Lincoln gained 80
votes. Seward only IL. The faces
of the New York delegation
whitened as the balIoting progress
ed and the torrent of Lincoln's
popularity became river. The re
suit of the second ballot was;
Seward, 1843 Lincoln, 18l; scatter
ing, 993. When the vote of Lin
coin was announced there was a
tremendous burst of applause, which
the chairman prudently, but with
difficulty, controlled and silenced.
The third ballot was begun amid
a breathlcss suspense; hundreds of
pencils kept pace with the roll-call,
and nervously marked the changes
on their tally-sheet The Lincoln
figures steadily swelled and grew.
Votes came to him from all the
other candidates-4aa from Seward,
2 from Cameron, 13 from Bates, 18
from Chase, from Dayton, 8 from
Mclean, from Clay Lincoln had
gained 5O3; Seward had lost 439.-
Long before the official tellers foot
ed up their columns, spectators and
delegates made the reckoning and
knew the result: Lincoln, 2313;
Seward, $50. Counting the scatter
ling votes, 465 ballots had been cast,
and 233 were necessary to choice;
only d votes more were needed to
make nomination.
A profound stiffness suddenly
fell upon the wigwam; the men
ceased to talk and the ladies to fut-
ter their fans; one could distinctly
hear the scratching of pencils and
the ticking of telegraph instru nents
on the reporters tables. No an
nouncement had been made by the
chair; changes were in order,
and it was only question of sec
onds who should speak first. While
every one was was leaning forward
in intense expectancy, Mr.. Carter
sprang upon his chair and reported
a change of four Ohio votes from
Chase to Lincoln. There was a
moments pause-a teller waved
his taIly-sheet toward the skylight
and shouted name-and then the
boom of cannon on the roof of the
wigwam announced the nomination
to the crowds in the streets, where
shouts and saIutes took up and
spread the news In the conyen-
ton the Lincoln river now became
an inundation. Amid the widest
hurrahs, delegation after delega-
ton changed its vote to the victor
A graceful custom prevails in or
derly American conventions, that
the chairman of the vanquished